Arginase

Function

Arginase (Arg) catalyzes the conversion of arginine to ornithine and urea. Arg is the final enzyme in the urea cycle. Arg requires 2 manganese ions for functioning.

Disease

Arg deficiency is an inherited disorder causing the accumulation of toxic urea in the blood.

Structural highlights

The manganese ions are located at the bottom of a 15A cleft. the proposed reaction mechanism involves H141, D128, E277 in rat.